


insecurities and cuddles

by I_NEED_MORE_SLEEP



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Light Angst, M/M, Minor Injuries, Pining Keith (Voltron), Short One Shot, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 11:06:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11645307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_NEED_MORE_SLEEP/pseuds/I_NEED_MORE_SLEEP
Summary: “It amazes me how easily you lie with a straight face”, Keith’s voice resounded through the corridor of the castle. Lance turned slowly to see the dead set look of concern on Keith’s face, something he had only seen a handful of times before. “I didn’t lie”, explained Lance “I simply played down the truth”.





	insecurities and cuddles

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever work on here so any feedback would be great! I wrote this at like 1 am so I'm sorry for any punctuation or spelling mistakes. Enjoy !

Keith sighed as he watched lance limp aimlessly in front of him; lance had gained injuries whilst on their last mission but dismissed any help by shrugging it off with his usual flirting and a joke, giving everyone the impression Lance was ‘fine’. The rest of the team hadn’t noticed Lance’s lying and simply went on with their own activities; Keith however, had caught onto lance’s lie immediately. He didn’t think going after Lance would end well for him, since Lance considered Keith his rival, which meant that Lance would never open up to him about anything. Despite their rivalry he still cared for Lance and wanted to make sure he was in good health for the sake of the team, hence the reason he had decided to chase after Lance to find out the truth.

“It amazes me how easily you lie with a straight face”, Keith’s voice resounded through the corridor of the castle. Lance turned slowly to see the dead set look of concern on Keith’s face, something he had only seen a handful of times before. “I didn’t lie”, explained Lance “I simply played down the truth”. Lance turned back to the direction he was headed in previously and started limping back down the corridor. 

“Lance you’re obviously not fine, I mean you’re limping it’s obvious that you’re badly hurt” 

Lance halted, “Keith just drop it, please”. Keith sighed, exasperated. Why wouldn’t lance just tell him? Did he hate Keith that much? Keith knew they weren’t exactly friends but it didn’t mean that Lance couldn’t let Keith help him for once. Lances injuries also seemed serious and looked as if they needed attention immediately. Keith was about to voice his concerns when lance cut him off, “Keith you wouldn’t understand so stop asking about it”. 

“Then help me understand lance, I don’t get why you isolate yourself from everyone all the time!”. Keith wasn’t sure why he was getting so angry, he only wanted to talk to lance. Now he wasn’t even sure if Lance would be honest with him or not. Keith thought that Lance would turn around and just start laying into him, but instead Lance did something Keith had never anticipated.

Without turning, lance whispered in a melancholic tone “Because I’m just the seventh wheel”. The whisper was so faint that he only just heard it; he was taken aback by Lance’s words. “How could you say that?” Keith all but shouted, “You’re a part of voltron just as much as everyone else”.

“But I’m not, am I Keith?” Lance choked out, finally turning to look at the red paladin. His eyes were glassed over with tears, but his face held firm giving the illusion of someone in control of their emotions. Keith wasn’t stupid; he could tell that lance was not in control. He could see the cracks in the Cuban boy’s facade; in the mask he had built to hide his true feelings. Keith wanted to comfort him desperately, but knew he shouldn’t in fear of the other boy thinking he wasn’t taking him seriously; he didn’t want Lance accusing him of mocking him. So he did all he could do; find answers. 

“How lance? How are you not part of the team?” Keith grimaced internally about how that had come out, he didn’t mean to make it sound like he was interrogating Lance. “I’m unimportant, I’m not needed and missions would go so much better without me!” Lance hiccupped as tears started to trickle down his cheeks, the trickle slowly turning into a cascade of tears and pent up feelings. “Everyone’s just so much better than me. Hunk holds the team together, Pidge is more intelligent than all of us put together, Shiro leads everyone with ease and you’re a prodigy in practically everything!”, lance laughed dryly as if in disbelief,” even Coran and Allura are better than me... and they’re not even paladins !” . Lance slumped against the metal wall and retracted to the foetal position. “I’ve never been enough, even in the garrison people looked down on me. I only earned my fighter pilot position because you got kicked out of the programme”, lance sobbed into his hands his cries echoed throughout the corridor. 

The once confident Lance had been replaced by a ball of insecurity huddled on the floor. Keith took one look at Lance and was struck with a sense of guilt, this had been his fault, he had pushed lance over the edge; he shouldn’t have gotten mad at Lance for no reason. Keith opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. What did he do in this situation? Did he comfort him? Apologise? 

“Lance, I-“

“Don’t bother Keith”, lance lifted his head slightly, “I don’t need your pity”. 

“I know you don't want my pity, I didn't think you would need it anyway”.

Lance’s head shot all the way up so he made direct eye contact with Keith. He gave Keith a questioning look as if to ask ‘what are you going on about?’. Even Keith was astonished by his own words; he didn’t even know what to do five minutes ago! Instead of over thinking it too much Keith just went with his gut instinct.

“Lance you are a part of this team. You are just as good as everyone if not better than them”

“Keith-“

“Let me finish Lance. You wouldn’t be here if the blue lion didn’t think you were good enough, it picked you. You forget that you have skills too. You can fire at targets from a large distance, that’s why your voltron’s sharpshooter. You are an asset to the team, you’re my friend, you let yourself get injured and I care deeply about you-”. Keith’s eyes went wide after he realised what he had said, “your health, yeah your health, that’s what I meant” he desperately tried to cover up what he truly meant. He looked down at the floor, red flooding his face. Had he really almost admitted that he cared about Lance out loud? 

When Keith finally looked up again he saw lance still sat on the floor, but this time in a stunned silence.

“I-I-uh”, stuttered lance.

“Don’t say anything. I’ll just ...go to my room- I guess” Keith mumbled awkwardly.

Keith started to shuffle in the direction he had originally come from, just wanting to get away from the awkward tension that hung in the air, Lance probably hated him now- Lance probably thought Keith had tried to make fun of him or to mock him. “w-wait!” stammered lance, managing to clutch onto Keith’s hand before he slipped away. Keith turned to look down at lance, who tried desperately to avoid eye contact. “Could you stay with me” Lance asked adding a timid ‘please’ onto the end of request. 

Maybe Lance didn’t hate him after all.

Keith’s gaze softened and a small smile crept onto his lips. “Of course” Keith stated “for as long as you need”. Lance finally glanced up at Keith, his ends of his mouth turning up into a small smile. Keith squatted down to sit next to the other boy, and as Keith got comfortable leaning against the metal wall Lance whispered a small ‘thank you’. In that moment Keith felt his heart swell; Lance was finally letting Keith knock down the walls he had built around himself. So there they sat talking about anything and everything: the universe, their lives on earth, what the future held for them. They spoke about the team, how voltron had changed them for the better. Whilst talking Keith felt a sudden weight on his shoulder. Lance had slumped against Keith, the emotional exhaustion lulling him into a peaceful and dreamless sleep. Keith limbs ached and in his lethargic state decided that a quick nap wouldn’t hurt. Keith yawned and lent his head against Lance’s, he let his eyes droop close and nuzzled his cheek into Lance’s soft brown locks. He’s breathing softened and welcomed sleep with open arms. Maybe going after Lance hadn’t been a bad idea after all.


End file.
